Teleny, Oscar Wilde
Teleny, Oscar Wilde
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Teleny
Or, The Reverse of the Medal

Author: Oscar Wilde, Anon

Narrator: Ben Allen

Unabridged: 7 hr 28 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: SNR Audio

Published: 02/27/2025

Categories: Fiction, Classic

Synopsis

'Virtue is the sweet flavour of the peach; vice, the tiny droplet of prussic acid – its delicious savour. Life, without either, would be vapid.' First published in 1893 by an anonymous author (although often attributed to the nineteenth century writer Oscar Wilde), Teleny, or the Reverse of the Medal is a homoerotic novel set in fin de siècle Paris. It is one of the first pornographic works in the English language that focusses almost exclusively on a queer relationship. Respected for its lush prose style and depth and complexity of characters, Teleny, or the Reverse of the Medal follows the ardent love affair between young Frenchman Camille Des Grieux and Hungarian pianist René Teleny. Overcome with admiration and desire while watching Teleny perform in concert, Des Grieux soon develops a profound fixation on the talented musician. Infatuated by their seemingly telepathic sexual connection, Des Grieux's feelings only deepen as their relationship progresses. But in a society where homosexuality is callously rejected, the pressure to hide their unspoken bond becomes too much. As tragic as it is titillating, this audiobook edition is movingly narrated by Ben Allen. Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist and poet. He became one of the most popular figures of the London literary scene in the late nineteenth century, and is remembered to this day for his biting wit, flamboyant style and social satire. After being taken to trial for gross indecency in 1895, Wilde was arrested and imprisoned for two years before his eventual exile and death.

About Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin on October 16, 1854. He excelled at Trinity College in Dublin from 1871 to 1874, eventually winning a scholarship to Magdalene College in Oxford, which he entered in 1875. The biggest influences on his development as an artist at this time were Swinburne, Walter Pater, and John Ruskin.

In 1875, Wilde began publishing poetry in literary magazines. In 1876 he found himself back in Ireland when the death of his father left the family with several debts. Wilde continued writing poetry in earnest, and in 1878, he won the coveted Newdigate Prize for English poetry. He soon left Oxford to build himself a reputation among the literati in London.

During the 1880s, Wilde established himself as a writer, poet, and lecturer, but above all as a "professor of aesthetics." In 1884, he married Constance Lloyd in London. Sons soon followed: Cyril in 1885 and Vyvyan in 1886. During these years, Wilde worked as a journalist and reviewer, while also continuing with his other writing of poetry and plays. In 1890 he published his well-known story The Picture of Dorian Gray. The early 1890s were the most intellectually productive and fruitful time for Wilde. Some of his most familiar plays-including Lady Windemere's Fan and Salome-were written and performed upon the London stages. In 1893 Wilde produced A Woman of No Importance and An Ideal Husband, followed in 1894 by The Importance of Being Earnest.

Wilde's life took a turn for the worst when, in May 1895, he was convicted of engaging in homosexual acts, which were then illegal, and sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labor. He soon declared bankruptcy, and his property was auctioned off. In 1896, Wilde lost legal custody of his children. When his mother died that same year, his wife Constance visited him at the jail to bring him the news. It was the last time they saw each other. In the years after his release, Wilde's health deteriorated. In November 1900, he died in Paris at the age of forty-six.

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